A pair of deep red eyes pierced through, causing a slight squeeze to the heart. The emotions behind the pair of slightly shining rubies seemed to radiate with clear confidence, and affirmation.

Then it was like the whole surrounding darkened, but only the one person in front was glowing with light. All sounds deafened, except for the words the owner of those red eyes spoke.

"I like you."

Shooting up from the bed, Aomine Daiki was suddenly awakened. The tall teen nearly jumped when he heard a sound. He glanced over at his night stand to see his phone lighting up in the dark room, vibrating loudly against the wood.

The blue haired boy groaned, and reached over to his phone. He looked at the name, and also glanced at the time. Then he answered it. "What is it Tetsu?" He grumbled in his usual drawl.

"Aomine-kun, you finally answered your phone." A monotonous voice replied.

The tall and tanned male turned over in his bed, the phone still to his ear. "Just say what it is you called to say, Tetsu." The grogginess still lingering in Aomine's head. It was not even nine at the evening yet. He thought he might have taken too long of a nap, and skipped out on dinner. He recalled his parents were coming home late.

"Do not be alarmed, but I just wanted you to know, there has been an accident." The boy at the other line replied in his usual flat tone. Aomine blinked his eyes, and the sleepiness dispelled. He slowly sat up from his bed, staring out his window, into the night.

"Kagami-kun is at the hospital."

Sapphire blue eyes widened.

0000000
0000000

Traces of You
I: Denial
By: Kat Lee V

0000000
0000000

Aomine will never admit it to anyone, not even himself, that he rushed as fast as he could to the hospital, after the words that his friend uttered. He wasn't even sure of the real reason why he would feel panicked, and the need to go and check on a certain red headed power forward from a rivaling team. Aomine doesn't even remember when the days of rivalry turned into days of playing one-on-one every often, then hanging out together in eating joints or at the other's apartment. He never questioned how much closer the two have become, to the point that the other-

"Oh, it's Aomine Daiki, from Touou." A voice spoke, breaking his wandering thoughts.

Looking up, the blue haired boy found a group of familiar looking teenagers. If Aomine could recall, they were the senior students of Kuroko in his Seirin Team. They were just coming out from the hospital, nearly running into the tall male. The female coach looked up at the younger boy. "Came to visit too? Kuroko-kun is still in the room. You'll find them in room 510." She told.

Then the glasses wearing captain of the team narrowed his eyes. "And also remind Kuroko to not miss out in morning practice tomorrow. He can't use the excuse of staying late in the hospital for being late or missing practice." With nods of heads and small waves of their hands, the group of senior students of Seirin left the premise.

Aomine headed to the room he was told. He paused at the closed door, staring at the handle. Then it was suddenly opened, and he was greeted by an annoying face he really did not want to see at the moment. "Aomine-cchi!" The blond male at the door exclaimed. "You came!"

A scowl formed on the tanned male. "Che." He clicked his tongue, and forcefully pushed aside the shorter male. He walked into the room, ignoring the whining from the blond, crying from being pushed aside and ignored. Then Aomine stopped after three steps in, his eyes homing on to the unmoving figure on the bed.

There was only one bed in the room, with several chairs pushed against the walls for some moving room. There were machines overhead of the bed, with wires and tubes connecting to the red head. The same red headed male that bothered every thought for days. Now the same male was lying in the hospital bed, with features drastically different compared to how Aomine last saw him. Then there was the mask over the face, with bandages wrapped around his head. The Touou Ace couldn't move, as his breath was suck in his throat as he stared at the boy before him.

"He's really an idiot." A monotonous voice spoke.

Sharply raising his head up, Aomine felt his heart stop when he spotted the light blue haired boy, sitting at the other side of the bed. It was only then that he realized that the boy was there, recalling the Seirin captain mentioning the boy. "Tetsu."

Kuroko glanced down at his current Light, with his eyes glazed with emotion. "We were just heading home from practice. Then there was a girl running after a ball, going into the streets. There was a speeding car. Kagami-kun reacted faster..." It has been a long time since Aomine has seen Kuroko so distraught. Kise, the blond that Aomine remembered was also there in the room, came beside the shortest male, and sat beside him, placing his hand on Kuroko's shoulders, to comfort him. The light haired boy shakily exhaled. "It's just internal bleeding, and a concussion. Fortunately, there was no lasting injuries that will impede in his basketball career."

"But, everyone is really worried, because there might be the probability Kagami-cchi will slip into a coma." Kise looked up at the darker haired male, with a solemn expression. "He has yet to wake up."

Aomine gritted his teeth, mentally agreeing with Kuroko that the red head was an idiot. But, he knew, and everyone else that knew the red head well, just how kind Kagami really was. Though he won't intentionally act like the hero, the red head just had that instinct to help those that were in need. The tanned male tore his gaze away, and stared at the wall to his side. 'Baka.'

"Aomine-kun." The boy turned as his name was called. He looked into the eyes of his former teammate. Kuroko stared deeply, with a sheen of emotion glistening in his eyes. "Do you feel guilty?" He asked. Kise raised a brow, watching the younger boy. "You were confessed to by Kagami-kun, the other day. Yet, you didn't reply, and you ran away."

The blond male perked, and turned to stare at the tallest male. "Oh, I see!" He grinned softly. "Aomine-cchi just doesn't know, or want to admit that he likes Kagami-cchi too. And, now that Kagami-cchi is in this situation, Aomine-cchi blames himself, or that he is regretting not returning his feelings..."

"Shut up." Aomine hissed, glaring hard at the blond. He came up to Kise, and roughly grabbed the other male's shirt. "You don't know what you are saying, idiot."

Kuroko stood up, and placed a hand over the tanned male's hand. "Calm down. I was just teasing." He tried to pacify the tension. "Come on, let us go. It is getting late, and we all have school tomorrow." The darker male released the blond, and clicked his tongue, before walking out the room, just as abruptly as he came in.

When the three reached the lobby, Kuroko perked in recognizing two tall males coming in. "Himuro-san, Murasakibara-kun." He called out.

The Yousen double ace pair looked up, seeing the familiar people. Himuro smiled. "Leaving already?" He asked, just as a friendly formality. But there was a look of concern in his visible eye.

Kuroko nodded. "Yes. Kagami-kun is at room 510." He glanced over at the clock. "And you came all the way from Akita."

The older male smiled. "I had to." Himuro replied, then turned to the tallest male. "Will you come with me, or...?"

Murasakibara glanced over at his former teammates. "There is a 24 hour diner near by. Just call me." He replied in his usual drawl. Himuro patted his partner's upper arm, before heading deeper into the hospital.

"Excuse me." A small voice called out.

All heads turned, and then bent down to see a small little girl, tugging on the pants of Aomine. Kuroko slightly widened his eyes, then approached the girl with a kind smile. He crouched down, to be the same level of the girl. "Yes, what is it?" He asked in a gentle tone.

The girl became shy. "I... I saw all of you came out of that room with the Oniisan from earlier..." She started to visible fidget, tracing circles with her toe on the floor. "And I... I wanted to thank him." She said, with her head bowed.

Kuroko recognized the girl, and saw the small child bandages on her knees and one on her cheek. His gaze softened. "I am sorry, but the nice Oniisan is still sleeping. Maybe tomorrow he will be awake, then you can thank him." He replied.

The girl suddenly and nearly shoved her hand into Kuroko's face. The boy backed away, and then blinked his eyes to get a clear view. In the girl's palm was a beautiful red crystal like rock. The little girl looked up at the older boy. "Could... could you give this to the Oniisan? It's a gift to thank him for saving me." She flushed, slightly bowing her head. "It's a special rock, and I put all my prayer into it so that he'll get better quicker."

The light blue haired boy smiled, and gently took the rock from the girl's tiny hand. "Then I will make sure it gets to him."

The girl bowed, and twirled around, running to her parents. The two adults bowed their heads, before ushering their daughter out of the hospital. Kuroko stood up, watching the family. He then lifted his hand, and stared at the gift for Kagami. He turned his head to the darker blue haired male. "Here, Aomine-kun. You should be the one to give it to Kagami-kun."

"Hah!?" Aomine gave an incredulous expression towards the smallest male. "Why me? Why can't you, Tetsu?"

Kise smiled. "It will be a good excuse for you to come and visit Kagami-cchi, Aomine-cchi!"

The darker blue haired teen glared at the blond, and Kise backed way behind Kuroko. The lighter blue haired boy approached his former Light, and grabbed his hand. "It's better if it's you, Aomine-kun." Kuroko placed the red stone in the other's big hand.

Aomine stared at it for awhile. 'The color... it looks like his ey-' He shook his head, and looked up to see his friends walking out through the sliding doors of the hospital. The boy slipped the stone into his pocket, and hurried after his group.

"You and Himuro-san are staying here in Tokyo, Murasakibara-cchi?" Kise questioned, as they were walking the giant towards the diner.

The tallest male nodded lazily. "Muro-chin says he is going to stay here for awhile, and that I should return back to Akita tomorrow..." He sighs, scratching the back of his head. "It's Friday though. I'll be already missing school." He shrugged.

"Kise-kun should return back to Kanagawa. You have class too." Kuroko said sternly.

The blond clung to the smallest boy. "What? But it's okay! It's only Friday! I miss a lot of Fridays! They won't mind! I want to stay with Kuroko-cchi, and see Kagami-cchi when he wakes up." He slightly whined.

The light blue haired boy turned his head away from the blonde. "This is why you get bad grades, and you are an idiot..." He mumbled to the side. The blonde cried, while clinging on to the boy, claiming he wasn't stupid.

"Oh, what's this?" A voice called out with amusement. The four paused in their walk, and looked over to see a familiar tall green haired male with a shorted male with raven hair. "Is this a gathering of the Generation of Miracles?" The raven haired teen turned to his partner beside him. "You weren't invited, Shin-chan?"

The green haired male scowled, and raised his glasses over the bridge of his nose. "I don't care." He replied in his usual deep tone.

Kise grinned widely. "Midorima-cchi!" He looked around. "What are you guys doing here?"

Takao chuckled, amused of how defiant Midorima was trying to act. "Came all the way here just to get his lucky item for tomorrow." He pointed at the silly looking angler fish key chain the green haired male was carrying.

Midorima quickly clenched it into a fist, and stuffed it into his pocket. "You didn't have to say anything, Takao." He frowned, narrowing his eyes at the raven haired boy beside him.

With a chuckle, Takao playfully slapped the back of his partner. "Well, I'm off." Then he walked away, with his hands in the pockets of his jacket. He turned around and gave a two finger salute. "Have fun! And don't forget we have a mandatory practice session tomorrow, Shin-chan!" He winked, before walking down the street with a slight skip in his step.

About to protest, the green haired male's mouth was slightly open, but his partner was gone. Midorima slowly looked over at his former teammates, and scowled. "And why are you all here?" Then he looked directly at the tallest among them. "Especially you."

"We just came from the hospital." Kise replied. Midorima raised a brow.

"It's Kagami-kun. He has been in an accident." Kuroko spoke. The green haired boy looked as if he wanted to say something, but kept his mouth shut.

"I just came, because of Muro-chin." Murasakibara answered in his usual lazy drawl. He turned to the others. "Are we going to the diner now?"

The blonde grinned. "Hey! Wouldn't it be funny if Akashi-cchi also appeared? It's like a reunion or gathering of former Teikou Teammates!" Kise mused.

There was a snort. Aomine stuffed his hands into his pockets, and started to walk down the street. "Let's go Murasakibara. I skipped out on dinner. I'll join you at that diner." The tall purple haired male went to follow the dark blue haired male.

"Hey! Don't ignore me!" The blond pouted. He looked over to see Midorima with his back towards them, walking the opposite way. "Wait, Midorima-chhi!"

"How odd." A familiar voice spoke, and everyone stopped in place. They all looked up to never have expected their former captain. The red head was dressed in business casual, and he had a small smile of amusement. "It's very late, and you're all here."

Kuroko looked around, then back at the red head. "The same with you, Akashi-kun. You are here, all the way from Kyoto?"

The red head brushed a few bangs from his eyes. He thought they were getting longer. "I had some business here." Was Akashi's reply.

Kise laughed. "It's so funny! It's such a coincidence that we're all here together!"

Murasakibara reacted when he saw something from the corner of his vision. He looked down beside him, and saw a light glowing from the pocket of the dark blue haired boy. "Hey, Mine-chin, what's that in your pocket?" He questioned.

Aomine blinked, and looked to his pocket. He pulled out the object, and saw it was the red stone that the girl wanted to give to her comatose savior. It was glowing, and strange sparkles were radiating out of it. "What the-?"

There was a bright flash that engulfed the six young men, invading their vision, until they can only see darkness.

0000000

"...!"

There was a sound, but he couldn't clearly hear it. Everything was muffled, or his whole brain was filled with cotton.

"Hey!"

The words slowly became clear, and his senses were turning back on. Sapphire blue eyes struggled to open. His vision was blurred, unable to make clear the faces of the two shadowed figures hovering over him. There was a bright sun overhead, behind one of those two figure's heads. But he lost the battle, as drowsiness took over, and his eyes rolled back.

0000000

Shooting up to sitting, Aomine quickly placed a hand on his aching head, and he groaned. 'Damnit, lesson learned. Never take gifts from little girls, or any child.' He messaged his temple, and then opened his eyes while straightening his back.

Sapphire blue eyes widened, and the boy stayed still with shock. Aomine found himself in no familiar place. He was sitting on just a laid out sheet, with another sheet pooling around his lap and draped over his legs, and a thin pillow at where his head was lying on. He saw five more people in the room, lying also on makeshift beds, lined up beside each other, three on one side, and three at the other. They were all in a rather empty room, bigger than his own room back at home. There was a long sheet covering one side of the wall, which he was guessing could be an entrance. The wall beside him had a smaller sheet, dimming down the light that was trying to come through. Though the room was a bit dark, he could see some cracks and painting coming off the walls. There were some missing panels on the ceiling, and long light bulbs missing above. There was a desk pushed to the side, and a chair beside it, resting against the wall. Above that desk were some wood plank shelves, but the most high one had come off on one side. The floor that they were lying on was hard, and the rug was kind of dirty with questionable stains.

Aomine looked over, as he saw that most of the others were rousing to consciousness. Beside him, he recognized the light blue hair. "Tetsu."

Kuroko sat up, the sheet covering him sliding down. He rubbed his eyes, and then looked up. He stiffened, also realizing that they were at an unknown place. "Aomine-kun?" He carefully called out.

"What happened?" Midorima demanded, having placed on his glasses that was lying there next to his head. He turned and glared at Aomine.

The darker blue haired boy raised his hands up defensively. "I don't know what the hell happened either!"

"It was that light that you took out from your pocket." Akashi replied. He pushed back the sheet, and stood up, straightening his clothes. He started to pat himself down, making sure that nothing on him was misplaced/

Kuroko looked over at Aomine. "Was it that stone that girl gave for you to give Kagami-kun?" He wondered.

"But where are we!?" Cried Kise. He leaped into Kuroko's chest, hugging him tightly. "Did we get kidnapped!? Are we prisoners!? Are we being held ransom for something?" The blond was becoming hysterical.

"Oi, keep yourself together, Kise!" Aomine hit the back of the blonde's head. Then Kise cried into Kuroko's chest, whining about how mean Aomine was. Kuroko just sighed, and shook his head.

"If we were prisoners," Akashi spoke up, and looked at the long sheet that was tacked to the wall, covering the only exit. "Then I don't think they are doing a good job guarding this place." He glanced down at the three at the corner, causing a ruckus. "Kise, go look outside." He commanded, with narrowed eyes.

"Eh!? Why me!?" The blond whined.

With a sigh, Kuroko pulled back the sheets, and stood up. "I'll do it."

"Wait! I'll come too! Someone has to protect you, Kuroko-cchi!" Kise scrambled up, and came up beside the shortest boy.

When they drew back the sheet, there were two girls standing at the other side of the door-less entrance. They looked up and squeaked in surprise. Kuroko and Kise blinked, not expecting to see two girls there. One looked like she was going to also draw back the curtain sheet. The other one had a tray with what looked like some medical supplies. The two girls bumped shoulders, sticking close to one another.

"E-Everyone is... awake..." She had chin length raven hair, with a black headband trying to push back the hair from her dark eyes. She was shorter than the other girl beside her.

The other girl turned her head, and started to whisper closely to the shorter girl's ear, while clutching on to the tray and pulling it close to her. This girl had brunette hair, pulled up into a high pony tail, with a few strands falling to frame her heart shaped face.

The raven bumped her hip against the taller girl, and looked up at the two boys smiling, a bit nervously. "Um... Sorry... but..." She took the taller girl's forearm, and then quickly ushered the girl down the hall way.

"Hey wait!" Kise came out of the room, and reached out a hand towards the two girls. They bother disappeared after turning a corner, with them shouting out a name both Kuroko and Kise couldn't hear clearly.

Kuroko and Kise walked back into the room they found themselves in, the sheet falling back to curtain the door-less entrance. Midorima scowled, found sitting on the only chair in the room. "What did you do?" He glared at mostly the blond.

Kise threw his hands up defensively. "Nothing!"

"Your face probably scared them off." Aomine snorted, as he gathered the sheets around him, and balling them up into a bigger pillow. He fell back on the floor, his head resting at the makeshift pillow.

"No!" The blond whined. Kuroko jabbed the boy's side, muttering for him to just be quiet.

Akashi turned around, and looked at the curtained window, with a sheet tacked above it. There was a light wind, and blew at the curtain lightly. The red head approached the window, and all eyes turned to watch their former captain. When he drew back the curtain, the red head stiffened, with his eyes widened with shock. Everyone that saw the rare expression, all became curious, and all gathered behind the red head.

"Wha-"

"No way..."

"Are you kidding me!?"

Skies were dreary with gray clouds blanketing the sky. Buildings were all windowless, while some buildings have broken down. Most lampposts were lying on the floor, or sticking out in strange directions. The streets were broken, with random gravel and a few broken down vehicles. Nature seemed to have taken over, with weeds growing through every crack on the concrete, and vines crawling up to eat the broken buildings and man made structures. There was no person in sight. In front of them was a post-apocalyptic scene.